Passing arguments to AsyncTask, and returning results

Question

I have an application that does some long calculations, and I would like to show a progress dialog while this is done. So far I have found that I could do this with threads/handlers, but didn't work, and then I found out about the AsyncTask.

In my application I use maps with markers on it, and I have implemented the onTap function to call a method that I have defined. The method creates a dialog with Yes/No buttons, and I would like to call an AsyncTask if Yes is clicked. My question is how to pass an ArrayList<String> to the AsyncTask (and work with it there), and how to get back a new ArrayList<String> like a result from the AsyncTask?

The code of the method looks like this:

String curloc = current.toString();
String itemdesc = item.mDescription;

ArrayList<String> passing = new ArrayList<String>();
passing.add(itemdesc);
passing.add(curloc);

ArrayList<String> result = new ArrayList<String>();

new calc_stanica().execute(passing,result);

String minim = result.get(0);
int min = Integer.parseInt(minim);

String glons = result.get(1);
String glats = result.get(2);

double glon = Double.parseDouble(glons);
double glat = Double.parseDouble(glats);

GeoPoint g = new GeoPoint(glon, glat);
String korisni_linii = result.get(3);

So, as you see, I would like to send the string array list "passing" to the AsyncTask, and to get the "result" string array list back from it. And the calc_stanica AssycTask class looks like this:

public class calc_stanica extends AsyncTask<ArrayList<String>, Void, ArrayList<String>> {
    ProgressDialog dialog;

    @Override
    protected void onPreExecute() {
        dialog = new ProgressDialog(baraj_mapa.this);
        dialog.setTitle("Calculating...");
        dialog.setMessage("Please wait...");
        dialog.setIndeterminate(true);
        dialog.show();
    }

    protected ArrayList<String> doInBackground(ArrayList<String>... passing) {

        //Some calculations...

        return something; //???
    }

    protected void onPostExecute(Void unused) {
        dialog.dismiss();
    }

So my question is how to get the elements of the "passing" array list in the AsyncTask doInBackground method (and use them there), and how to return an array list to use in the main method (the "result" array list)?

Answer 1

Change your method to look like this:

String curloc = current.toString();
String itemdesc = item.mDescription;
ArrayList<String> passing = new ArrayList<String>();
passing.add(itemdesc);
passing.add(curloc);
new calc_stanica().execute(passing); //no need to pass in result list

And change your async task implementation

public class calc_stanica extends AsyncTask<ArrayList<String>, Void, ArrayList<String>> {
ProgressDialog dialog;

    @Override
    protected void onPreExecute() {
        dialog = new ProgressDialog(baraj_mapa.this);
        dialog.setTitle("Calculating...");
        dialog.setMessage("Please wait...");
        dialog.setIndeterminate(true);
        dialog.show();
    }

    protected ArrayList<String> doInBackground(ArrayList<String>... passing) {
        ArrayList<String> result = new ArrayList<String>();
        ArrayList<String> passed = passing[0]; //get passed arraylist

        //Some calculations...

        return result; //return result
    }

    protected void onPostExecute(ArrayList<String> result) {
        dialog.dismiss();
        String minim = result.get(0);
        int min = Integer.parseInt(minim);
        String glons = result.get(1);
        String glats = result.get(2);
        double glon = Double.parseDouble(glons);
        double glat = Double.parseDouble(glats);
        GeoPoint g = new GeoPoint(glon, glat);
        String korisni_linii = result.get(3);
    }

UPD:

If you want to have access to the task starting context, the easiest way would be to override onPostExecute in place:

new calc_stanica() {
    protected void onPostExecute(ArrayList<String> result) {
      // here you have access to the context in which execute was called in first place. 
      // You'll have to mark all the local variables final though..
     }
}.execute(passing);